


perhaps we'll last

by shewhoisntnamed44



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: High School AU, M/M, hopefully no one dies, the foxhole court - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2018-12-13 07:55:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11755413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shewhoisntnamed44/pseuds/shewhoisntnamed44
Summary: "Take a seat. It looks like you might have a friend here today."Neil noted the circular tables and the lack of windows in the room. He noted how much this place looked like prison.There was only one person present here. It was like looking at the back of his hand, the face which was as familiar to Neil as his own was. He looked exactly like Neil's best friend. But it couldn't be possible. Aaron would've told him that his brother was back.OrMy take on the High School AU.





	1. Chapter 1

It was the first day of his junior year.  
Two more years and I'm out of this shit hole, was his first thought as he entered Palmetto High.  
He was used to this kind of chaos. The ultimate, endless mess which could only be culminated when one decides to put hundreds of teenagers in a single building.  
There was noise everywhere. Lockers slamming. People gossiping about the fall edition or the latest movie. Somewhere someone was crying about being dumped by a boyfriend and somewhere else, someone else was having sex. It was a typical high school day, and Neil hated every second of it.

It was the third period of the day. Spanish.  
Someone tapped him on the shoulder and passed him a note.

 _Hey Josten. How many did you fuck this summer?,_ the note read crassly.   
  
He smiled when he looked behind and there in one corner of the room, sat Aaron Minyard.  
He was looking at Neil, they hadn't seen each other almost all summer. He looked tired but then, he always looked tired. Aaron raised a single blonde eyebrow, a signal to answer the damn note.

 _S_ _hut up. You know my rules about fucking. Speaking of fucking..how is Katelyn?_ , he wrote back. Neil's "rules about fucking", which he realized sounded absolutely disgusting, implied the fact that he didn't do it, except that one time.  
The note was snatched from his hand.  
He looked up and saw Mr. Gonzales, looking at him from underneath his half rimmed glasses.  
He inspected the note like a police was inspecting evidence, as if a great secret, a mystery was close to being solved.  
"Who wrote this?", he asked the entire class.  
Some of them snickered and Neil resisted great urge to roll his eyes.  
Aaron lazily raised his hand.  
Now the thing about Aaron Minyard was that his family was filthy rich. They paid enormous donations to the school. It was highly improbable that he would be punished for such a trivial thing.  
Gonzales looked at Aaron and then back at Neil.  
"Detention. Mr. Josten. Two days.", he said and went back to teaching whatever he was teaching.

Only people who knew Aaron could say he wasn't apologetic. Not at all.  
Neil nodded at him. An acknowledgement of the favour that had been done countless times before.  
Aaron knew that Neil's house was worse than a few hours spent in detention.

Millport was a small, lazy town with small, lazy people. The town bred on gossip. Everytime another freshman got pregnant, the town would be out to shame her. Everytime a jock came out of the closet, the whole town would be in uproar.

Neil didn't know what he was doing here. A single child, born and brought up in Millport. He hated this town and its small mindedness. Hated the fact that nothing great, nothing which made even a miniscule shift in the order of the earth took place here.  
The only exciting thing about shitty, boring old Millport, was its Exy team. They were the second ranked Exy team in the South. Neil was its Vice Captain.  
Neil loved Exy. Loved every part of it. The only time he felt alive was when he had a racquet in his hand and his feet on the Court.

Neil Josten was a jock. Well liked, but not popular, which was a blessing. "Popular" people here, usually had twenty different girlfriends and an ass for a brain. Neil didn't ever want to be one of them.  
Aaron Minyard was his best friend. They'd known each other since they were kids, had joined the same Exy team a few years later and had been inseparable since.

"Ah. Mr. Josten. Welcome back.", Mrs. Shonda, the teacher in-charge of the detention students muttered, not looking up from the tests she was correcting.  
"Take a seat. It looks like you might have a friend here today."  
Neil noted the circular tables and the lack of windows in the room. He noted how much this place looked like prison.  
There was only one person present here. It was like looking at the back of his hand, the face which was as familiar to Neil as his own was. He looked exactly like Neil's best friend. But it couldn't be possible. Aaron would've told him that his brother was back.

Andrew Minyard looked up from his empty notebook, a pen in his hand, his expression eerily similar to his twin's. He looked at Neil..no observed was a better word. Took a thorough observation of Neil. Neil wondered what he saw. Auburn hair. Blue eyes. A couple of scars.  
Neil smiled at Andrew. It wasn't the smile he had given Aaron earlier. This one made him look dangerous. Made him look as if bits of his father were seeping through his teeth. Andrew didn't even bat an eye when he saw it. He just went back to his empty book.  
Neil took a seat at his table.

"Can't say I'm surprised to see you here Josten.", Andrew said in a way of introduction.  
"Likewise Minyard."  
"Minyard's my brother. You should know that.", Andrew said lavishly. Every word he spoke sounded like poison covered with honey.  
There was a beat of silence.  
"What did my brother do this time that you're here again?", Andrew inquired, looking at Neil with the same hazel eyes.  
"Passed me a note in Spanish. What did you do that you're here?"  
"Tried to smoke in class."  
"Really..", Neil said, not quite a question.  
"There was a window. I didn't see the harm.", Andrew said and went back to his work.

There was complete silence in the room after that.


	2. Chapter 2

"Stop checking your phone Neil, you can go now.", Mrs. Shonda, the detention teacher said.  
She still hadn't once looked up from her papers and was furiously adorning them with her red pen.  
"Stop glaring at me Andrew. Yes, you too can go."  
Andrew packed up his empty notebook and strode out of the room. Neil was quick to follow.

Palmetto High was completely empty at this time. Most of the staff and students had left.  
They reached the threshold of the school when they saw a very expensive looking black Maserati, with Aaron casually leaning against it.  
Neil knew this car very well. Knew it because he had puked in it and then had cleaned it up. He had had sex in it too, but that time Aaron had drawn the line and sent to it the garage so that he could get the seats changed.

Aaron's eyes imperceptibly brightened when he saw his brother. Andrew looked as untouchable as always. His face was a completely smooth, blank wall. It was as if Aaron didn't exist. As if he wasn't shamelessly staring at Andrew while Andrew was shamelessly staring at the car.  
Aaron turned his eyes to Neil, still not losing the brighteness in them.  
Aaron smiled.  
"How was detention?"  
"A bitch. But I managed."  
"Yeah. I know how you 'manage' things Josten. Get in. We're going home."  
"Yours or mine?"  
"Yours. Mom has clients over."  
Clients. Clients was a good name for the kind of people who came to meet Aaron's mom. They were criminals, drug dealers, yakuza members and everyone in between. Also, she was a realtor. The profits which she had earned from both of these businesses had been enormous. She decided to temporarily settle down in Millport for its obscurity. Then she met the twins' dad, had the twins, and settled down permanently in this innocuous little town. No one talked about the dad. None of the were delusioned enough to speak of someone who wasn't dead, but would still never return.

"Give me the keys.", Andrew spoke up from beside him.  
"You can't dr-"  
"Give me the damn keys.", Andrew spat out, looking Aaron dead in the eyes.  
Aaron tossed the keys to his twin wearily and went to sit in the passenger seat of the car.  
Andrew opened the driver's door and was about to get inside when he saw Neil just standing there, unmoving.  
"Well? Are you fucking coming or do I have to drag you?"

Andrew wasn't a reckess driver, as Neil had thought he would be. He drove the car with all the grace and smoothness as that of a professional driver. Andrew looked in control, Neil had never seen Andrew look this passionate about anything.  
"What?", Andrew snapped when he caught Neil staring at him through the rear view mirror.  
"Nothing.", Neil said the same way from the back seat as Andrew expertly parallel parked in front of his house. Neil didn't know how Andrew had remembered his address and hadn't asked for directions even once.

Neil and Aaron got out of the car. Andrew didn't shift an inch and drove off without looking at them even once.  
Aaron sighed from beside him, "Let's go."  
Neil lived in a two storeyed grey bungalow. It wasn't that small, but it wasn't that big.  
After all how big can a house for two people be?  
They didn't have many neighbours, atleast none they talked to. His father and him couldn't care enough to give a single shit about them. That was the only similarity between them.

Neil opened the empty house with his keys, he didn't know where his father was and he didn't care enough to call him and check. He was glad his dad wasn't home. Detention had atleast prevented him from meeting his father.  
He took two steps at a time and opened the single door that was on the second floor. His room was more of an attic. It was quite spacious even though it had slanted ceilings and a circular window in the wall facing the road. His room was white. The walls weren't covered with anything except a singular picture of him and his mother above the bed. He must've been five at the time, he was still missing several teeth, his startling blue eyes were still bright and most surprisingly, he was smiling crookedly at his mother while she was laughing at the camera. Neil didn't remember being that happy when he was a kid.

Aaron settled himself on the queen sized bed and Neil dumped his bag on the floor and sank into the bean bag chair.  
"You didn't tell me he was back.".  
Aaron had an arm slung over his eyes, as if he was trying to block himself from the rest of the world.  
"I didn't even know he was coming back. He just knocked on the door yesterday morning. Said he was done with rehab. We didn't even get a call. Fuck knows how he came home. Mom enrolled him in school the same afternoon.", Aaron answered, his eyes still covered.  
"Is he still that bad?"  
"He's worse. He's hardly said a single word to anyone since he's returned. Atleast when he was high all the time he used to talk to me. Now it's like talking to a rock. Everything just slides off."  
Neil pondered over this. He took a look at Aaron.  
"Katelyn?"  
Katelyn was a cheerleader. Aaron and her had met during a match seven momths ago and had been inseperable since. Aaron removed his arm on hearing her name, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.  
"Oh my fuck.", Neil said in response to it.  
"What?"  
"Aaron. I've seen that expression before. You're in love with her.", Neil said, grinning and pointing a finger at Aaron's face.  
Aaron viciously threw a pillow at Neil, which only made him laugh.  
"You like her that much?", he inquired seriously this time.  
Aaron looked at him, his eyes impossibly ablaze.  
"She makes everything quiet. How can I not like her?", Aaron said, looking as if he was trapped in a memory.

For a split second, Neil felt jealous of Aaron. He had never loved or been loved. Aaron was the closest thing he had to a family, a semblance of a brother. His father would never count.  
Then he saw the way Aaron's expression had softened, looking as if it had forgotten the harsh ways of life and everything that had happened to him. He looked happy. And Neil didn't envy him anymore. He felt glad his friend has found someone. Impossibly glad.  
"Okay now you're making me sick. Get that look off your face before I puke. Video games?", he asked and barely dodged another pillow which was thrown his way.

It was dark when Neil and Aaron heard the engine of the Maserati coming. It stopped in front of Neil's house and honked once. Almost a second later, when Aaron had yet not exited Neil's house, Andrew, that petty fucker, honked again for a whole minute. One of Neil's neighbours shouted from their porch and Aaron hurried to get out of the house. Andrew purposely honked again. Aaron looked back at Neil as he sped up to the passenger side.  
"See you tomorrow.", he said and shut the door behind him.  
Andrew lowered his window, revved the engine and looked straight at Neil, a ghost of a smile upon his lips.  
He raised two of his fingers to his forehead, a salute and then immediately sped of in the direction of their home.


	3. Chapter 3

Neil looked at the expanse of green in front of him. He felt like he was finally breathing right again. As if a broken bone had finally been fixed.  
The Foxhole Court wasn't the biggest Exy court in the league, but it did come close. Stretched over yards of green, it could house almost sixty five thousand Exy fans at a time and it was Neil's true home.  
Neil took a deep breath, his hand curled into a fist while his head rested on the smooth glass of the inner Court.  
"You got detention on the first day back you fucking idiot?", Coach Wymack said from behind him.  
Neil felt a smile growing on his lips.  
"Well it was Aaron's fault."  
"I would wring his neck if I didn't need him on my Court.", Wymack grumbled.  
"I'm sure he missed you too Coach."  
Neil knew no one cared for the Foxes more than Coach David Wymack.  
"Go get dressed soon. Also we have another goalie."  
"When did this happen?"  
"He came to me for tryouts yesterday. God knows we need him."  
"Who?"  
"Andrew Minyard."  
"What?", Neil responded indignantly.  
"Aaron's twin. Andrew."  
Neil was too stunned to reply. He knew Andrew had played as a child, but sixteen year Andrew looked like he would rather break his head with a fucking rock than play Exy.  
Neil nodded at Wymack and then walked away to get changed.

He walked into the locker room and was immediately crushed by the brute force called Matt Boyd. He was their backliner. He was like Neil's older brother.  
"How was summer?", he asked holding Neil at arms length to check for any new injuries.  
"Better than the last one.", Neil said.  
Dan Wilds, their captain and Matt's girlfriend was also present in the locker room. She walked over to Neil with a big smile and ruffled his hair. They both had already changed into their gear.  
"We missed you.", she said.  
"Yeah yeah."  
"Stop trying to act all cool. We know you missed us too.", she said, still grinning at him.  
Neil tried to fight off the burst of happiness in his chest and the urge to not roll his eyes. He failed miserably.  
"I can't wait to get on Court.", he said with a sharp glint in his blue eyes.  
"Glad to know your madness for Exy still hasn't diminshed.", Matt said jokingly.  
"How's Kevin?", Neil asked and Matt and Dan immediately sobered up.  
"Not great. He was worse than you when it came to Exy."  
Kevin had broken his dominant hand when he had gone on a skiing trip last summer. It had been almost a year since he had played on Court.  
The news had spread over Millport like wildfire. Kevin Day was, after all, their star player. Neil idolized him.  
"Is he going to play again?"  
"Do you really think this will stop him?", Dan replied with a fierce smile.

They left Neil alone to change. He walked into one of the stalls, locked it behind him and removed his shirt.  
He looked at his reflection in the floor to ceiling mirror. His torso was a masterpiece of scars. He quickly turned away and put on his jersey.  
He wasn't alone when he came out.  
Andrew Minyard was sitting on one of the benches, staring at nothing.  
He acknowledged Neil with a look that said that it was very unwise for Neil to ask him a question.  
Neil didn't care.  
"You're our new goalie huh?"  
"Yes.", Andrew replied after a short pause.  
"Where did you learn to play?"  
Andrew didn't bother replying but got off the bench with his duffel slung over his shoulder.  
"I hope you can defend our goal better than you talk."  
Andrew stopped.  
Something threatening flashed across his face. Neil resisted the urge to smirk.  
Andrew didn't say anything as he walked into the stall Neil had vacated.

"Neil!", Renee called out, beaming as she ran across the field to hug him, Allison Reynolds and Nicky Hemmick hot on her heels. Matt and Dan were talking with their heads bent towards each other in one corner of the field. All of the Foxes had known him since his freshman year. Renee was the oldest. Aaron, Andrew and Neil were the youngest, despite being in their junior year. He would be sad to see all the upperclassmen leave this year.  
Nicky thumped his back in greeting while Allison closely inspected his face for any new abrasions. She nodded at him, pleased, when she didn't find any.

"Okay Foxes listen up!", Wymack boomed, when Aaron and Andrew had both changed and joined them on the Court.  
They all huddled around him at the centre of the field, right above the bright, eye hurting orange fox paw.  
"This is going to be a tough year. We're up against the Ravens again."  
A collective groan from everyone but Andrew went up from the group.  
The Ravens, Edgar Allen's exy team was the only team the Foxes couldn't beat. They had lost spectacularly, a score of 2-10 against them last year. They were a group of obnoxious assholes who took pride in the fact that they were obnoxious assholes. Neil hated the mere sight of them.  
"We have to beat them this year. I can't go through the humiliation again. Plus, it's our last year. I can't go to college without defeating them.", Nicky grumbled.  
"We need Kevin.", Neil said.  
"We have Kevin.", Wymack replied.  
"But his hand?", Aaron inquired.  
"He's going right handed. Been practicing ever since the doctor gave him a thumbs up.", Wymack said looking delighted but concerned for his player.  
A round of approval and protest went up at this statement but Wymack's glare quietened them all.  
"We have to practise harder. Play better. Andrew I want you on the goal today. Whichever team gets more balls past him- wins. Since Kevin isn't here, Renee you're our second striker. Rest of you- divide yourself into two teams. I'm watching you all.", he said and left Andrew with the ball, which he promptly took to his goal.

With Aaron, Renee and Matt on one side and Neil, Dan and Nicky on the other, the teams were ready. Andrew tossed the ball towards the far end of the Court and the match began.  
Neil relished the rush in his legs, the slight pull of muscles as he ran for the ball. He scooped it up in his racket and passed it to Dan, who was closest to the goal. Dan caught it and threw it towards the goal. Her angle was perfect. Her aim was perfect.  
Andrew tossed the ball away as if it was made of paper. Any doubt Neil had about his skill were squashed like a bug when he saw this happen.  
Neil liked a challenge. They continued with the match.

Andrew shut down the fucking goal. Neil and the rest of the Foxes hadn't seen anything like it. Neil could outscore almost all of the goalies in the league, even the Raven's, if he got close enough, but he only got two shots past Andrew's racket. His team won because of it. Andrew was incredible. It was an adrenaline rush, watching Andrew play. A burst of joy and exhilaration in his chest. They were going to fucking crush the Ravens this year. They left the Foxhole Court with renewed spirits and nothing but praise for Andrew.

Neil wished he had stayed in the Court. Wished he was in detention or in a morgue. Anything but home. Whatever thrill he had vanished as soon as he opened the door to his house and found his father standing in the kitchen.  
Nathan Josten was a terrifying man. He was 6'2 and had the body of an athlete, even at 42. Neil despised him with every fiber of his being.  
Neil hoped to slip away without his dad saying anything to him.

"Heard you were in detention today before Exy practices, and even yesterday. Would you like to tell me why?"  
"No.", Neil replied bluntly. A mistake.  
His father started walking towards him, his eyes pinning Neil to the spot, not letting him walk away.  
"Let's try that again, Neil. That's no way to talk to your father.", Nathan said with a smile which meant that Neil was fucked.  
Unfortunately, Neil had a temper. He too, did not like to be talked to in a condescending way.  
"I don't understand why you would give a shit since you were absent for most of summer and didn't even call once, which honestly, was _such_ a relief. Why care now am I right? No, I say again, I would not like to tell you why."

"Language, Neil.", Neil's father said, and backhanded him so hard across the mouth that Neil fell to the floor. His mouth instantly flooded with the familiar taste of blood, his father's rings always did more damage than that was necessary.  
Neil got up, his bag firmly on his shoulder and spat blood at his father's feet.  
"Did I hurt your feelings father? Oh wait, I forgot. You have none.", Neil said, his voice sickeningly sweet. Another stupid mistake which he regretted almost immediately. Another hard blow. Neil's head felt heavy and not quite right as he fell to the floor again.

Neil knew how to get up faster than he did when he was younger. He was used to this.  
He wiped a hand across his mouth, and was not surprised to see it stained red. His mouth hurt bad enough that he knew he would have trouble eating for the next few days. But he was Neil fucking Josten. He would manage.  
He looked his father dead in the eyes, smiled a murderous, bloody smile and went up to his room without another word. 


	4. Chapter 4

Neil didn't go to school the next day. His mouth was sore and he didn't want to answer any questions. No one but the Foxes and Wymack knew about his predicament. The only explaination he could give to them, was the truth. Wymack needed a solid excuse for Neil missing practices and he certainly wasn't stupid enough to believe lies.  
Neil had tried the aspersions the first few times but he had to stop some day. Wymack had offered to talk to Nathaniel or rather threatened to go beat him up or call the authorities if the abuse didn't stop, but Neil was strictly against it.

"I appreciate it but if you breathe a word of this to the cops Coach, that sick fuck will move us to another state.", Neil had said, his voice strangely raw, "I can't afford to lose Exy. I can't afford to lose this. It's my only way out of here. Please."  
Wymack had, with great reluctance, agreed. He knew where to draw the line.  
He then gave Neil a copy of the Court's keys. All the Foxes had them and Neil was determined to spend every waking moment there.

Neil shouldered his duffel and slammed the door of his house behind him. Neil started running. He relished the feel of solid concrete hitting his feet. He felt aware of the sweat pouring down his back in tiny rivulets, his hands slightly shaking as he tightened his grip on the straps of his bag. Everything felt wrong. Distorted. He ran till he forgot.  
Neil invariably ended up at the Foxhole Court, just in time for practise. He typed in the password and the sound of the doors hissing open was music to his ears.  
All of the Foxes had already arrived, it seemed from the noise coming from the locker room. He ran a palm over the left part of his mouth and was unsurprised to find it still swollen.  
He entered the room and all conversation came to a halt.  
"I'm going to kill that fucker.", Aaron said as he started to leave, his body tense with anger.  
"Calm down. I'm fine.", Neil said, effectively stopping him with a palm to his chest.  
"No you're not. You're packing your bags and coming to live with us."  
Neil fought the urge to sigh. They'd had this conversation so many times.  
"I can't and you know it."

Renee came over to him and tilted his chin to get a better look at the bruise. Neil knew from her expression it wasn't that bad.  
"Do you want me to cover it up?", Allison asked him, already reaching for her make up supplies.  
"It's fine. Can we just go and play?"  
Matt and Nicky were silent, but Neil could feel their anger and support from across the room.  
Andrew was staring at him as if he was an open wound. His face was free of any sort of expression and Neil didn't know him well enough to say whether the tension in shoulders was regular or on Neil's behalf. Something about it nagged at Neil.  
"Problem?", he asked with a sharp edge to his voice.  
"None at all.", Andrew replied and left to get changed.

Neil pushed himself harder than usual during practice that day. He knew he needed it. Knew that when it was finally over he'd have to trudge back to shit hole he called home and to the asshole he called father.  
Wymack called the drills to a halt and the door to the Court swung open as Kevin Day, in full gear, stepped onto the green field. It was a glorious sight.  
Kevin looked exactly the same as he had before he broke his hand, green stubborn eyes and a determined set to his shoulders. He didn't look half as broken as Neil had expected him to look. Only difference was, he was holding his Exy stick in his right hand.  
A cheer of approval went up among the Foxes as Kevin flashed a rare, fierce smile at every one of them.  
Neil felt his own lips tug up response. Kevin walked over to him as clacked his stick against Neil's.  
"Welcome back.", Neil said.  
"Nice face idiot.", Kevin replied. Kevin Day wasn't soft. His life was too hard for that. Neil shrugged in response.  
"Start the game. The Ravens will squash us otherwise.", his voice boomed across the court.

It appeared as if Andrew had met Kevin before today. Kevin didn't look surprised to see him and Andrew actually cared enough to nod at him. Even though he wasn't playing with his dominant hand, Kevin Day was a sight to behold. The ball passed from his racket to the goal at the speed of lightning, meeting its mark most of the time. Andrew didn't look disgruntled at this, but just doubled his efforts trying to keep the ball out.  
Neil was glad that Kevin was back. He finally had a striker to play against.

* * *

 

Their first game was against the Breckenridge Jackals. The Foxes knew that they were easy to beat, having played against them last year but they knew not to get overconfident. Last year, Kevin Day was not playing with the wrong hand and Andrew Minyard wasnt protecting the goal.  
The excitement of the thousands of Exy fans in the stands was palpable. It almost shook the air.  
All of Breckenridge's players were bigger than the Foxes excluding Matt and Kevin. What the Foxes lacked in strength, they made up in speed.

The Foxes were a small team, with a total of only nine players. They were used to playing full games without getting winded. Neil, Kevin, Matt, Nicky, Dan and Renee were set to go on for the first half. Aaron would sub for Nicky, Andrew for Renee and Allison for Dan during the second half.  
The buzzer went off and the Jackal's striker hit the ball with a crack which rang in Neil's ears. Neil, Dan and Kevin broke formation to get the ball, Nicky and Aaron staying near first court, the first line of defense against the Jackals.  
The striker marking Neil was atleast half a foot taller than him, but Neil ran six miles every morning which was why he got to the ball before anyone else. The weight of the ball in his net settled his nerves and he took eight steps forward before passing the ball to Kevin.  
Kevin caught the ball and ran towards the goal. He passed it to Dan a second before his mark could snatch it. Unfortunately, that was when his mark slammed him against the Court wall.  
Neil felt a flicker of concern for Kevin but he shook it off and ran to Dan who was close to the goal, but was being chased by her mark and two backliners.  
She tossed the ball to Neil before they could crush her.  
Neil pushed his legs, harder, faster to get to the goal before his mark intercepted him. He looked at the goal, then looked at either side of him. The striker was close at Neil's feet.  
Neil knew the angle was right. He threw the ball against the opposite Court wall and watched as it rebounded to the goal, right past Jackal's goalie.  
The blaring buzz of the goal being scored was the sweetest sound Neil had ever heard.

The Foxes won by a glorious margin of six points. Their spirits were high as they met in the locker room after the second half had ended, but it diminished when Kevin entered with a grimace on his face.  
He took off his left glove and flexed his hand, wincing slightly at the pain.  
"Are you alright?", Renee asked.  
"I'm okay.", Kevin snapped.  
He was staring at his left hand with the expression of a man who looked as if he had lost everything.  
In a softer tone, Kevin asked, "Can you get me some ice?", and watched as Nicky left to get it.  
He sat down on one of the benches, next to Andrew and closed his eyes as he leaned against the wall behind him.  
"You could've done better today.", he told Andrew.  
"I let one ball get past me.", Andrew replied.  
"Exactly."  
Andrew looked as if he was a minute away from stabbing Kevin, when thankfully Wymack entered.

"You all did good today, I'm especially looking at you Andrew. For your first match, this was damn near impressive. Kevin, don't hide. I can see you flinching, go meet Abby now before I drag your ass to her." Abby was the school nurse. She was used to tending to injuries after almost every match.  
"Nicky is getting me ic-", Kevin started to say.  
"Now or you aren't playing this season too."  
Kevin grudgingly got off the bench left to go to the medical room, snatching the ice pack from Nicky who had arrived at the door.  
"Rest of you. Shower. Get changed. Leave. Do whatever you want. Good game Foxes. Dan, come meet me after, I want to talk to you about tonight's match.", he said and left the room.

All of the Foxes except Neil went to Eden's Twilight after every match, won or lost, to get rip roaringly drunk. It was a tradition of sorts which Neil took no part him. He hated dancing, did not drink and often felt suffocated by the crowd there. It was pointless for him to go although the Foxes asked him everytime to come along. They all bid him goodnight and left him at the entrance of the stadium.  
Neil was surprised to find Andrew standing next to him, refusing the offer to join the Foxes.  
"Why aren't you going?", Neil asked him.  
"I just got out of rehab. I think going to a club would sort of defeat the point.", Andrew replied.  
Neil accepted that without comment and turned to face Andrew. He realise that they were almost alone, most of the crowd having filtered out immediately after the game ended.  
"What are your plans now?", Neil asked him.  
"Don't know. Probably drive around."  
"You don't have a car.", Neil reminded him.  
Andrew took out a set of keys and pressed a button. The headlights of the black Maserati, parked a bit farther away switched on, illuminating the darkness.  
"Does Aaron know?", Neil asked, unsurprised.  
"Maybe."  
"Okay then. I'm leaving."  
"I'll give you a ride.", Andrew said and walked towards his car, expecting Neil to follow.  
He stopped at the driver's side when he saw that Neil hadn't. Neil didn't want to tell him he wasn't going home.  
"Actually, I'm thinking of running back.", Neil lied.  
Andrew wasn't fooled.  
"Running from your father?", he asked, staring at Neil's face.  
"No.", Neil ground out, "And even if I was, that's none of your business."  
Andrew sighed dramatically.  
"Just get in the fucking car. We aren't going to your house."  
"Then where are we goin-"  
"You'll know when we get there. I'm leaving in sixty seconds, with or without you.", Andrew said as he sat in the driver's seat, closing the door behind him.  
Neil was intrigued. He had no reason to fear Andrew and he was surprised to find out in the two months they'd been teammates, Neil was starting to trust him.  
"Thirty seconds remaining.", Andrew called out from the open window and revved the engine.  
Neil walked over to the car and sat in the passenger seat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the cringey description of the Foxes vs Breckenridge match this is my first attempt to write a match. Also can we pretend that Andrew feels a tad bit more here than he does in the books and actually gives a shit bout Exy?


	5. Chapter 5

"Tell me where we're going. I don't like surprises."  
"I don't like you, so I guess we're even."  
"I sat in the goddamn car the least you can do is warn me if you're going to kidnap me. Don't expect ransom though, my father would probably thank you."  
Andrew flicked a cool look Neil's way, his hands on the steering wheel.  
"I'm not kidnapping you.", was all Andrew said as he fixed his eyes back on the road.  
Neil guessed asking him more questions would do him no good.

They drove for atleast forty five minutes, as far as Neil could tell. Andrew stopped the car in front of a diner/cafe kind of looking place, a neon sign with half of the words obscured. Neil could barely make it out enough to see it said, "Bee's Cafe".  
Neil looked at Andrew.  
"We drove almost an hour to come to a cafe?"  
"What were you expecting?"  
Some place more exciting. A bar or a pub or a fucking circus. Certainly not this.  
Neil got out of the car and stretched his legs in the almost empty parking space. He leaned against the door and lit a cigarette. He took a deep drag, letting everyone and everything else melt away with the burning in his lungs. His father and his house were almost distant memories in this desolated piece of land.  
Andrew stood beside him, his pint sized body appearing so small but imposing next to Neil's. Everything about Andrew was hard. Neil's eyes slid over from his face, sharp hazel eyes, to his broad shoulders, to the veins standing out on his arms, even with the thin armbands. It was evident that Andrew worked out and had a strong physique, despite consuming several packets of sweets a day. Neil had seen Andrew practically inhale a packet of Twirlies or Lindts' almost daily.  
Andrew snatched the cigarette from Neil's hand and took a deep drag.

"You're staring.", he said, blowing smoke like ash through the air.  
"I know.", Neil replied.  
Andrew turned sideways and profiled Neil's face. He dug a finger into the spot just below the left side of Neil's jaw.  
"How?", he asked. Neil knew Andrew was talking about the broad, deep indentation which marred the skin there. Neil wasn't surprised Andrew had spotted it so easily, considering he was only five feet tall.  
"Dad. First time he hit me....actually pushed me down the stairs face first. It bled like a bitch."  
Andrew was silent for a few minutes, the look in his eyes making Neil regret telling him the absolute truth.  
"Why don't you just leave?"  
Neil laughed.  
"It isn't that easy."  
"Pack your bags. Steal some money. Borrow this car. Ride into the fucking sunset. You're making it complicated."  
Neil was facing Andrew now and he saw how Andrew actually believed this could work.  
Neil contemplated lying but then decided against it. Many people in Millport knew this story. Neil was surprised Andrew didn't. It was practically a legend. He would find out sooner or later.  
"Mom tried that. Took me with her. Dad found her, shot her in the head and brought me back here. Fucker had contacts with the police and some lawyers, avoided prison by lying through his teeth and saying it was self defense. They believed him."  
"I can kill him if you want.", Andrew said casually, as if he was merely stating what day it was and wasn't actually talking about committing homicide. Somehow, Neil knew he was completely serious.  
"I appreciate the offer, but killing him would just put you in a mess you wouldn't want to be involved in. He knows people. They would come looking for you."  
"You can't live like this for two more years."  
"I have for seventeen, two is child's play. I can't leave. I have learnt to pick the battles which I can win."  
"Then you're a coward.", Andrew said, looking Neil dead in the eye.  
"You're a coward.", Andrew repeated. "You're too afraid to even fucking try."  
"You don't know _shit_ about my life. _Stay_ _out of it_."  
Neil plucked his cigarette back from Andrew's hand when he didn't reply and put it to his lips. Neil started walking toward the cafe. Andrew hadn't moved an inch.  
"Well, are we going inside or not?", he shouted behind him.

Bee's Cafe was like any other diner except it was completely empty. Neil guessed that was why Andrew had picked it. It had bland cream coloured walls and mostly consisted of booths rather than tables.  
Andrew walked over to one of the booths at the edge of the floor to ceiling window. He sat down when a woman who appeared to be atleast thirty five walked out with a smile on her face.  
"You're back. Finally.", she told Andrew.  
"Was a bit busy for the past year."  
"Busy in rehab?", she boldly asked.  
Neil expected Andrew to look confronted or a bit mad, but his face gave away nothing.  
"Oh Bee, you know how it is.", he said vaguely. Neil guessed the woman who he was talking to was the owner of this tiny joint.  
Her bright eyes softened when Andrew said this. Neil thought she was a fool. Anyone who looked at Andrew like he was someone to be protected and taken care of either didn't know him or was in a car accident. Atleast anyone who was a middle aged person who ran a cafe in the middle of fucking nowhere and wore an apron with apples on it. Andrew could damn well protect himself. Neil knew that personally. Whenever anyone tried to bully Andrew, or Aaron as a matter of fact, they usually ended up coming to school the next day with a busted face or some other body part.  
  
Bee's eyes slipped over to where Neil was sitting on the opposite side of Andrew.  
"You brought a friend today?", she asked politely, still smiling. _God_ , did she ever stop?  
"Neil.", Andrew said casually, as if giving out his name to total strangers was something Andrew was entitled to.  
Neil silently wished Bee would just leave.  
"A pleasure, Neil. So, what would you like to have?"  
"The regular.", Andrew said, which made Neil wonder how many times he came here.  
"And you, Neil?"  
"Just a coffee please. No sugar."  
"I'll be back in a jiff.", she replied and went back to wherever she'd come from.  
"How did you even find this place?", Neil asked Andrew, who was now sprawled across the seat like he owned it, his back resting against the window and one leg languishly stretched on the booth's sofa.  
"Was driving past here some night. This was the only place open."  
"How many times do you come here?"  
Andrew shrugged, "Whenever I can. Most nights, I guess."

"So, what's your deal with Aaron?", Neil asked Andrew after a minute of silence.  
"He's my brother."  
"Thanks for the PSA. I wouldn't have guessed."  
"Sarcasm is the wit of fools."  
"It's an art."  
"Shut up."  
"Why don't you like him?"  
"You presume I don't like him. I never said I don't."  
"You never said you did either."

Andrew rolled his eyes but didn't respond.

"Let's play a game. You ask me one question, and I'll be completely honest with the answer. Then it's my turn. Truth for truth.", Neil suggested.  
Andrew leaned forward, both his hands now resting on the table.  
"Interesting.", he said which Neil took as agreement.  
"Me first. You know about my parents, it's only fair."  
Andrew gestured for him to continue.  
"Why don't you like Aaron?", Neil repeated.  
Andrew took some time thinking about the answer, which meant that he was editing out all the parts he didn't wish to reveal.  
"I don't care enough about him to dislike him. It's more of a general indifference towards his being. There is no point in bringing up the past. I have my reasons and you don't need to know them. You're wasting your breath and your questions by asking silly things."  
Neil knew not to push things and let it slide.  
"Why do you play Exy?", Neil asked instead.  
"There's no better alternative. It's a good way to pass time. If we're being honest, I couldn't care less about it."  
Before Neil could start ranting about how meaningless and awful that last statement was, Bee came out with a tray of food in her hand.

She placed Neil's coffee in front of him and another in front of Andrew. She then put a plate which looked more chocolate than waffles in front of Andrew. Neil guessed this was Andrew's 'regular. Bee smiled at them again, which frankly was starting to annoy the fuck out of Neil, and thankfully left them alone.  
"It's almost 12pm.", Neil guessed, looking at the enormous plate of waffles in front of Andrew.  
"Your point?", Andrew said, cutting a piece.  
Neil shook his head and took a sip of his coffee.  
And almost spat it back out. The awful taste of too much sugar felt like wet shoes in his mouth.  
"How do you drink this shit?", he managed to say once he exchanged their cups.  
Andrew gave Neil a look, as if _he_ was the one who was going to get diabetes.

They left after finishing up and paying the bill. Bee shook both their hands before leaving and told Andrew to come back soon.  
They reached Neil's house faster than he had expected. The car ride home had been silent, except for the breeze cutting through the open windows.  
"See you in school on Monday.", he said.  
Andrew drove off without even a glancing at him.


	6. Chapter 6

_Andrew's fists were bloodied. His eyes looked like they could freeze hell._  
_"Get in.", he said without looking at Neil._

 _Andrew stepped on the accelerator, faster than he ever had before. He was trying to leave Millport behind. Trying to escape a nightmare. Neil could see how it wasn't working one bit._  
_Andrew's grip on the steering wheel looked like it was made of iron, his jaw was clenched, and blood was pouring in droplets because the clotted skin on his knuckles kept tearing every time he tightened his hold on the wheel._  
_Andrew looked disjointed, not in the literal sense of course. He looked like half of him was with Neil but the other half was stuck somewhere far away, a place Neil was glad he's never seen._

 _"Stop the car.", Neil said._  
_Andrew drove faster._  
_"Stop the damn car, Andrew."_  
_And Andrew slammed the breaks so hard Neil was sure he would've flown into the windshield and cracked his head if not for his seatbelt._  
_Thankfully, the road was desolate._  
_Next to him, Andrew was breathing hard and fast. Neil felt like he was seeing something he knew he would've never been allowed to witness under regular circumstances. He was seeing Andrew slipping on edge of the self control he so desperately tried to maintain. He was seeing Andrew have a breakdown and that somehow left a sour taste in his mouth and a terrible feeling in his chest._  
_He got out of the car and walked over to the driver's side._  
_He opened Andrew's door, leaned over him and unbuckled his seatbelt._  
_Andrew's eyes were frantic, he didn't know what Neil was doing and it made him want to punch something. Again._

 _Neil tugged at the sleeve of the thick jumper he was wearing till Andrew got out of the car. Neil led him to the hood of the car and Andrew leaned against it. Neil stood in front of him. A drop of blood falling on the road was the only noise in the deafening silence._  
_Neil took out his pack of cigarettes, lit one and passed it to Andrew who took such a deep drag it looked like he was never going to stop._  
_Andrew blew the smoke in Neil's face._  
_Neil took Andrew's wrist and inspected the torn skin at his knuckles._  
_Nothing was broken as far as Neil could tell, but it was still bleeding more than it should._  
_Neil knew Aaron always kept a medical kit in his cars, they both got mildly injured often and going to get supplies every time was a pain._

 _He started to walk away when Andrew grabbed his wrist in a vice like grip._  
_"Stay.", Andrew said. The first word he'd spoken since he'd come to pick Neil up which didn't sound like it was made of glass. It looked like Andrew was clawing his interiors, cursing himself, when he said that word._ Stay _._  
_Neil stood beside him without saying anything, Andrew's grip clenching harder on his wrist. Neil didn't give a fuck about the drying blood staining his skin._

 _Andrew inhaled another large dose of nicotine from the cigarette. When it burnt out, Neil handed him another one._  
_Andrew's gaze was far off, his mind trapped in a prison of torture._  
_"He's back.", Andrew said, as if the words were breaking him into a million pieces. They sounded like a death knell._  
_"He's back and there's nothing I can do about it.", Andrew said again. He looked at Neil, his expression stone cold, blank. No sign of panic or the fear that had seemed to pool under his skin and turn him inside out mere seconds ago. Andrew's eyes were tearing him apart._  
_"What am I going to do?", Andrew asked with a slight smile, which looked more dangerous than an explosive._  
_Neil didn't have an answer. Andrew turned away, finally letting go of the tight grip on Neil's wrist._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is barely 500 words but I can't bring myself to write anymore until I post this soz I promise next chp will be longer!


	7. Chapter 7

_"Let's go."_  
_"Where?"_  
_"Millport. I'm dropping you off at home."_  
_"Where are you going after?"_  
_"I'm not staying there tonight."_  
_"If you want I can come wit-"_  
_"Don't."_

* * *

 

Andrew didn't mention that night again afterward. He didn't show up to practise the next day. Aaron hadn't known where he'd gone.  
Their dynamic was something Neil still struggled to understand. They acted as if they didn't care enough about each other, two strangers living completely different lives. Neil knew better. Knew how even though Aaron said he didn't care about Andrew's whereabouts, the wrinkle between his eyebrows indicated otherwise. Knew how even though Andrew said he didn't give two shits about Aaron, whenever he was around, Andrew became hyper focused. They both were like the like poles of a magnet, similar, but always repelling each other.

Andrew came back two days later. As invincible, untouchable as Neil remembered. The perfect facade was back and Neil didn't like it one bit.

Neil shot a ball almost at the speed of light towards the goal and watched it miss Andrew's heavy racket by an inch. The ball striked the net, propelling it backwards because of its force.  
Wymack called a halt to practises, it was getting late. They all got changed and were leaving the Court when suddenly a high pitched voice screaming "Aaron" jumped on his back. Neil watched with thinly veiled amusement as every sinew in Andrew Minyard's body tightened as Katelyn jumped onto her boyfriend's back.  
"I'm going to fall, Kate.", Aaron said with a smile.  
Katelyn got off his back and put his arm around her shoulder.  
The rest of the Foxes were raising eyebrows at each other and Allison looked like she had just won another bet.  
"I came to surprise you. So glad I'm not too late.", Katelyn said pecking Aaron on the cheek.  
Aaron looked like a love sick fool and to be honest Neil didn't blame him. Katelyn looked like sugar and dough, something so sweet it actually aches. It would be hard not to love her.  
Andrew on the other hand, looked like he couldn't wait to rip her eye out of her socket.  
Neil couldn't stop a chuckle this time and earned a sharp "What?" from Andrew.  
"Nothing really.", he said as they continued walking towards their own cars.  
"It's just, do you not like Katelyn or something?"  
Andrew looked at her again, Katelyn in her faded jeans and an oversized sweatshirt, chatting about her baby sister and shook his head with disgust.  
"I don't know what my brother sees in her."  
"I thought you didn't care.", which earned him another sharp look.  
"Don't deceive yourself, Neil. I don't."  
"Don't decieve yourself, Andrew. You do."  
Neil resisted the urge to smile again when Andrew didn't reply.

Aaron Minyard's room looked it had once held a lot of memories. Faded poster marks on the walls, empty photo frames. White, bare walls and a bed with a white, bare bedsheet. His room was completely at odds with the rest of his lavishly furnished house. The only pictures he had were one of him and Neil in their Exy gear, in high spirits after they'd won a game and a new one of him and Katelyn which they must've taken during the summer, Aaron's head half buried in her neck and her smiling wide while holding the camera.  
"Wow.", Neil said.  
"What?", Aaron replied.  
"Everytime I think you can't get sappier, you prove me wrong."  
"Shut up."  
Aaron laid down on his bed and Neil buried himself in the bean bag chair.  
"Sherman said I should go to pre med." Aaron asked. Sherman was their school counsellor. A balding, fat but honest man who didn't tolerate bullshit. Neil liked him.  
"I've been telling you that for the past two years."  
"Do you know how hard pre med is?"  
"I don't know man, I'm a jock.", Neil said with a slight smile.  
"I'm serious. It's hours and hours of work with an extremely high possibility of failure."  
"Since when has that ever stopped you?"

Neil thought of asking Aaron about Andrew's broken behaviour that night, but thought better of it. Somehow he knew Andrew wouldn't appreciate Neil giving out his secrets.

"Did you know he's spoken more to you than me?", Aaron said out of the blue.  
"Who?"  
"Andrew. In the four months he's been back, I can count on one hand how many times he's acknowledged my presence."  
Neil was a silent for a minute.  
"You both just need to figure out whatever shit you have and talk to each other."  
"Neil Josten, giving me advice on _talking_ to someone?", Aaron said, incredulous and mocking.  
"Hey! I talk to peop-"  
"Seventh grade. Stefanie Jones. Hid from her in the men's bathroom for the entirety of an hour. Ninth grade. John Newman. Told me to go tell him you broke a bone so that you didn't have to go on a date with him. You wore a fake fucking cast for a week. Do you want me to go on?"  
"Okay, first of all- it wasn't a _date_ , asshole. He wanted help in doing a project."  
"More like he wanted you to be his project."  
"That makes no sense. Med school is going to be hard for you."  
"Whatever man."  
"I meant it with Andrew. I think if you put in some effort, he would too. Don't give up so soon."  
"I don't know how long I can keep trying though. I'm tired of him pretending I don't exist."

Aaron's mood grew somber.  
"Hey I forgot to ask you, how are things with Nathan back home?"  
"Same as before."  
"I don't get why you just _won't move her-_ "  
"How's Tilda doing?", Neil interrupted, changing the subject as quickly as it had begun.  
Tilda was Aaron's mafia, rich as fuck, mother. She was as toxic as Neil's own father, but used methods not involving violence to prove it.  
"Same as before. Still a terrible mother."  
"How are you dealing with the withdrawal?", Neil asked, his jaw tight.  
Aaron ran a hand through his messed up hair.  
"It's hard.", he said honestly, "sometimes I feel like it'll be alright. I'm better off without the drugs. But then there's other times when I feel like I'll kill myself if I don't get them. Tilda doesn't help. She's always smoking something right in my face. Sometimes I feel like she does it just to mock me."  
"We've got really terrible lives, don't we?"  
"Still better than a lot of people, Neil."  
"Want to go get some food or are we going to talk about my sex life now?", Aaron asked.  
"I mean, there isn't much of a sex life to begin with. That wouldn't take long to be honest.", Neil said, the corners of his mouth turning upwards as he heaved himself off the beanbag chair.   
"You're walking to the diner, Josten. Fucking walking."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for two things:  
> 1) IM SORRY I HAVENT UPDATED IN SO LONG IM GONNA TRY AND HAVE A SCHEDULE FROM NOW.  
> 2)this is also short af but was really fun to write so idc BUT I promise the next chp WILL longer


	8. Chapter 8

The inner doors of the Court were thrown open, and in strode Riko Moriyama, in all his king-like glory. Practices came to a swift and sudden halt.  
Riko looked as if stepping onto _Neil's_ Court when he wasn't supposed to, wasn't forced to, was beneath him. As if he was stepping among the common men for a change, taking a break from his extravagant palace, hating the sights of the shabby streets and straw huts.

Neil felt the fight bubbling up his throat and Riko hadn't even said a word yet.  
Riko walked past all of them, dismissing them without even acknowledging them, his eyes fixed on the only player he was interested in.  
Kevin Day.

If Riko looked like a king, Kevin looked like the servant who had wronged him. Who hadn't obeyed the order given to him and was about to be punished. Kevin's hold on his Exy racket was tightening, his face growing paler with every step Riko took, a walking death sentence.  
The Foxes also started moving then, snapping out of their shock at seeing a Raven on their Court. Andrew reached there first.

Riko stopped when he was about four steps away from Kevin. Andrew stepped in front of Kevin, one of his hands pushing Kevin backwards, towards Matt and Aaron who were behind him. His lips were curled in that lethal, _lethal_ smile Neil often saw when he looked in the mirror.  
Neil recognized the lilts, the curves of the language Andrew spoke, Japanese.  
Just one word made Riko's face light up with a mixture of anger and disgust.

 _King_ , Andrew had said.

"Step aside. I want to talk to my brother."  
"He can still hear you. He's not damaged his ears, Riko, just his hand. You made sure of that."  
Kevin visibly stiffened behind Andrew, head tilted downwards.  
"Do not tell me things I already know, goalkeeper."  
"Kind of dumb isn't it, to come here alone? Then again, you didnt have that much up here to begin with.", Andrew said, tapping his knukle against his skull.  
"Let's drop the act Riko, shall we? Tell us what you're here for and then show yourself the fuck out."  
Riko's eyes flared, burning with a hatred and thirst for revenge Neil knew he wouldn't forget, and for a second, just a second, a spark of terror lit itself inside Neil. For Andrew. For Kevin. For all of his Foxes.   
"Master wants him to come back home.", Riko said, looking past Andrew, deciding to ignore him completely.

"I am home."  
The first words Kevin had said in Riko's presence.  
"You call this filth your house? Come on Kevin, we've raised you better than that."  
Neil had a few things he would have said about the _filth_ present here had Wymack not intervened.  
They hadn't noticed him come, but his presence deflated some tension in all of their shoulders.

"Riko Moriyama. I have a contract with Kevin, he's not going anywhere but here. Try to take him away physically and I'll call the cops on you before you can blink. As much of a pleasure it is, to see you here, we don't remember inviting you."  
Neil knew these words were futile and empty. As if Millport cops would dare to lay a hand on Riko.  
Perhaps Riko knew he was outnumbered, perhaps he wanted to see how long the Foxes could keep playing this game for, Neil wasn't sure. Riko made sure Kevin was looking him in the eyes before saying,  
"They won't protect you forever."  
The threat as obvious as a gas leak, filling the air with something that would surely end in flames.  
He turned his back on all of them, and left the Court.

"Kevin, are you alright?", Renee asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.  
Neil thought it was kind of unfair but understandable that he shrugged it off and walked away from Court, Andrew following suit. Neil still didn't know what their deal was.

A tense moment of silence right after and then the Foxes burst into questions.  
"What did Andrew mean, _"He's not damaged his ears, Riko, just his hand. You made sure of that."?_ ", Neil asked, loud enough to be heard above the rest of the Foxes.  
The look Wymack gave him was a tired, sad one. Slumped shoulders, as if Wymack had aged twenty years with just that question.  
" _Coach_ ", Neil implored, the rest of the Foxes growing quiet.  
"Riko broke Kevin's hand."

"Fuck.", Nicky said, running a hand through his hair, looking more distressed than Neil had ever seen him.  
Neil's world swayed and tilted, threatening to tip off the edge. He knew things weren't always the best with Kevin's family but none of the Foxes had families which weren't fucked up.  
"Why?", Neil felt as if he had to physically wrench that word out of his throat.  
"Why do you think? Jealousy. Riko's like a petulant child, he doesn't like the fact that other people can have better toys than him."  
"So there wasn't a ski trip?", Dan asked softly, her fists clenched, knuckles whitening.

"No. He showed up at my doorstep one night, about a year ago. Broken, bleeding, completely fucked up hand. Refused to go to a hospital. Said that Riko had been drunk, their Coach had thretened to remove him off their team if his stats didn't get better. Three Ravens held him down while..while Riko did what he did. I had to call Abby then. Why else do you think he left the Ravens and joined the Foxes?"

Neil had known bits and pieces of that story, mostly through overheard gossip. 

Millport had not one but two high ranking Exy schools, the Palmetto High Foxes and Edgar Allen Ravens. Both schools' Exy teams hated each other with a ferocity that was justifiable and terrifying. Kevin had been a Raven for almost his entire life, after the apparent "ski trip" though, he had switched to the Foxes. Some people say it was because Kevin wanted to be team captain, but the Foxes were certain Wymack wouldn't replace Dan. Some people said it was because he was tired of living under Riko's shadow.  
The actual version of the truth though, that Kevin's own brother broke his hand, stung more than Neil had thought it would, but then again, Riko had always been a low grade asshole.

It made him sick, ignited a match in the ashes of Neil's rage, he could see it was doing the same for the rest of the Foxes too.  
"Why didn't Kevin say anything? Go to the police or the press?", Aaron asked.  
"And do what? Accuse the player this town worships for breaking his hand? His own brother? Go against Tetsuji Moriyama? Even he isn't that stupid."  
"But he coul-"  
"Enough.", Wymack interrupted Allison, running a hand across his ragged face.  
"Practice is over for today. I'm going to check on him, make sure he doesn't die from alcohol poisoning. I'll see you tomorrow, don't be late."

* * *

 

It was already dark, he had stayed out late, needing to process what he had heard. Had Andrew, who was relatively new to their team, known about this before the rest of the Foxes?  
Andrew Minyard was indifferent about almost everything in his life. This was probably the most Neil had seen him care since he had returned.

Neil removed the keys to his house from the back pocket of his tracks.  
The air inside his house stunk of alcohol and smoke.  
"Neil.", Nathan said with a smile. "It's so good to have my son at home again."  
He was sitting on the couch, his back to Neil, a picture frame of Mary in his hand. Such nights had never ended nicely for Neil.  
Nathan got up, dried tears had traced a path across his face.   
"I miss her. She was so beautiful, Neil."

Neil knew, knew how he knew grass was green and  the sky was blue, that he shouldn't open his mouth in front of his father. He had learnt this lesson so many times before.  
"That was before or after you blew her brains out?"  
And some dark, twisted part of Neil reveled in seeing Nathan's face light up with rage.  
Before he could even blink, Nathan had thrown the frame at Neil, striking Neil right across the face.  
He couldn't see anything for a second, his vision swam and he felt nauseous. He felt blood trickling down his eye.  
"Get up.", his father said softly.  
Neil hadn't realised he was on the floor. His hands were clutching his head and everything was spinning, spinning, _spinn_ -  
"Get up.", Nathan shouted this time.  
"I hate you.", Neil whispered, struggling to get up, but finally finding his footing.  
"The fuck did you just say?"  
_"I hate you."_ , Neil was the one screaming this time.  
Nathan punched him in the stomach and Neil fought to stay upright.  
"Fucking waste of space.", was all Nathan said, taking a swig from the beer bottle in his hand and walked towards his room.

Neil couldn't stay in his house anymore. It was choking him, toxic. His head spun and he resisted a strange urge to laugh. He touched his forehead, finding it swollen, a big, bloody gash right across his left eyebrow. He still felt unsteady. As if someone had spun him around twenty times and then told him to walk in a straight line.  
He left what supposed to be his home, Mary's portrait still on the floor, this time stained with his blood.

* * *

 

He rang the doorbell of the Minyard residency. He knew it was extremely late, but his phone was in his bag which was still at his house.  
His fingers reached up again to ring the bell, when the door flung open. It wasn't whom he wanted to see.  
"Where's Aaron?", he asked Andrew.  
"The fuck happened to your face.", the same bored, even tone. He looked over every inch of Neil's face. Neil wanted to punch a wall, wanted to hurt something which couldn't destroy him back.

"Where the fuck is Aaron? _Please_."  
"Katelyn."  
Of course, Aaron wouldn't be at home. What was Neil thinking, coming here unannounced? He was stupid, stupid, _so fucking stup-_  

He took a deep breath, swallowing past the lump in his throat. He turned around to leave, when Andrew caught his sleeve, tightly.  
"The fuck do you think you're going?"  
"The fuck do you care?"  
"You're not leaving. At least not util your forehead stops depleting all the blood in your body."  
Neil looked at Andrew then, and felt drained of all the things in him that wanted to keep existing. All he wanted to do was lie down and never get up. Neil nodded and saw Andrew's shoulders relaxed.  
He went inside, closing the door with a definitive  _click_ behind him.

* * *

 

Neil had failed to notice, however, the parked car in the usually empty driveway next to the Minyard's. The lights switched on inside the house and the man who currently resisded in one of its bed's. The soft music which was seeping out of one of the room's.

Unfortunately, it seemed, an old neighbor had returned.


	9. Chapter 9

Neil followed Andrew upstairs. He had been to Minyard mansion, as he called it, a million times before, but had never entered Andrew's room.  
It seemed traitorous, treacherous, entering the other Minyard's room. Like he was seeing something he shouldn't be seeing. Crossing a line he wouldn't be allowed to step over again. Wouldn't be allowed to return from. He found out that he didn't particularly fucking care.  
It was barer than Aaron's room. Aaron had maybe one, two pictures up on his wall or in frames. Andrew had none. No clothes strewn about. White, dull walls. Books stacked neatly in one corner. It looked like a prison cell.

Neil liked it. Liked the cold, almost cruel harshness of it. It distracted him from all of his problems. He was tired. So fucking tired. The welt on his head was throbbing like his heartbeat. He was sure it was going to leave a scar.  
He didn't want to think about what he would do next, where he would go, how he would face his shitbag of a father again. Twisted thoughts crept into his mind. Thoughts which he had previously thought about but had refused to accept. Thoughts which had spread their dark spindly hands around his veins and had now finally stuck.

His mom was luckier than him. Atleast she was dead. He kind of hated her for leaving him behind.

* * *

 

Andrew saw Neil sit down on his bed and for a moment, just for a moment it felt like some part of his body cracked.  
Hearing Neil sigh filled it.  
He knew exactly where the first aid kit was in his room, right below the second stack of black t-shirts in the third drawer to his left.  
He went to the bathroom instead, soaking the dry handcloth under hot water.

Rehab had stretched Andrew's will to live to such an extent that only a flick of a finger could make it snap. It had seeped out what life he had left in him, made him a mere body without a soul.  
He hadn't expected to leave his bed at 11pm to find Neil Josten looking like a shattered piece of glass on his threshold.  
Hadn't realised it would make his own eyes tighten and shoulders stiff.  
But then again, he hadn't expected Neil Josten.

All of these thoughts were going through his head, upturning a bucket of cold water on him, making his entire body shudder in protest.

He walked towards Neil, cold cloth in hand. Lightly pressed it against the gash in his forehead. He wasn't surprised to see it stain red in a couple of seconds.

* * *

 

"Hold it there till the bleeding stops. Can you do that?"  
"I hurt my head, not my hand."

And Andrew leveled him with such a look that Neil knew shutting up would be the best option.

Now, Andrew retrieved the first aid box. Removed an antiseptic cleaning solution, gauze and some cotton.  
He batted Neil's hand away.  
His hands pushed Neil's hair back, softer than Neil ever expected Andrew to be.  
He wanted to shut his eyes and dissolve into nothingness, until all he could feel was Andrew's hand in his hair.

He felt the cold sting of the antiseptic on the gash.  
"The gash isn't too deep. You'll have a scar though."  
As if Neil cared anymore about fucking scars.  
Andrew carefully wiped the blood away, cleaned the wound, neatly wrapped his wound with gauze like a gift with a ribbon on the top.

"You're staring this time, Minyard."  
"Is that a problem?", Andrew asked carefully.  
Neil thought about it.  
"No.", he stated, plain and clear.

Andrew was still looking at him. Trying to figure out the piece together the things he knew about Neil. Or something else, Neil didn't know.

"Come with me.", Andrew said, walking to the window sill.  
"Where?"  
"To the fucking moon, pirate.", Andrew said, lifted the frame, and disappeared into the night.

* * *

 

A slanted roof, with thatched bricks which looked as if they could break any second. It faced the back of their house, towards the scatter of trees instead of the driveway. Neil saw Andrew walk towards the edge of the roof, unafraid, as if he'd done it plenty of times before.  
"I won't bite, Josten."  
"Is it safe?"  
Andrew turned around and for a second Neil thought he would fall.  
"When has that ever stopped you?"  
Neil stepped onto the roof.

It didn't crumble under his weight, he was relieved to notice. He tested his footing. Andrew's room wasn't more than a couple of feet above the ground but still high enough to break a few bones if you fell off it.  
Andrew sat down where the roof ended, legs hanging towards the ground. He saw Andrew's hand tighten into a fist. Neil carefully sat down beside him. Neil felt a little dizzy and hoped the fresh air made him feel better.  
His forehead still pulsed, alive and hungry. He blinked, trying to rid himself of his headache and nausea through mere force.

A lighter flicked to life and the smell of nicotine made him remember his mother.  
He breathed deep and long, trying to make that the only thing he could think of.  
Andrew passed the cigarette to him and Neil could feel him watching as he took a drag and exhaled smoke through his nose. It only made his headache worse.

"Look at me.", Andrew said.  
Neil did, but he had trouble focusing. Andrew looked blurred around the edges. Neil felt as if he finally understood why people who wore glasses felt so lost without them.  
His finger reached out to touch Andrew's face, trying to ascertain it was real, that Andrew was there.  
And then there was blackness.

* * *

 

Neil awoke to the sound of Aaron shouting. He knew it was Aaron because he'd never heard Andrew shout. Andrew Minyard didn't need to shout.  
"He was hurt Andrew, why did it take you so long to call m-"  
Neil shut his eyes again.

* * *

 

He was in Andrew's room, in Andrew's bed to be specific.  
"Ah, sleeping beauty is finally returning to the world. Welcome back to hell." Andrew said.

"Are you alright, Neil?", Aaron asked concern marring his face.  
"Yes, he's perfectly fine Dr. Minyard. It's not like he looks like shit or that he's woken up after 4hours.", Andrew said mocking, throwing his words like knives. Kindness didn't cost shit. Neither did cruelty.

"Can you both please shut up?", Neil said, and to his surprise, they did.  
Neil sat up, blindly reaching for what he hoped was a bottle of water on the bedside table.  
He took a sip, then downed half the bottle. His head was slowly clearing.  
Panic seeped like a second skin, stretching over his bones and thoughts.  
He got off the bed way too fast and was forced to sit back down.

"You're not leaving.", Aaron said.  
Neil had heard this tone only twice before. Once, when Aaron had told his mother to stop giving him drugs and the second when he'd told Neil his mother had shipped Andrew off to rehab.  
It was a voice which barred all arguments and warded off all questions. Which said, fucking try me.

"I am not your charity case.", Neil replied, using the same tone. Because he couldn't afford to take more favours from anyone. Especially Aaron.

"No, you _fucking_ idiot, you're my friend.", Aaron said, fierce.  
"I'm fine."  
"I swear to god, Neil Abram Josten, I hear you say those words once more for the rest of your life I'll choke the life out of you."  
"For how long will you be able to keep me here?"  
"Don't make it something it's not, Neil."  
"Why can't you let me help myself?"  
"Cos it ends with faucet of blood pouring out your forehead.", Aaron replied, ice in his voice.

They'd had different variations of this conversation multiple times before.

"When will you stop fucking running?", Aaron said, finally tired.

Neil softened his tone, tried to dull the edges of his voice.  
"I promise, this is the last time I'll go back to him."

"Why?", Andrew's voice cut through. "Why have you ever gone back?"  
Neil's cold blue eyes turned towards Andrew.  
"I have my reasons and you don't need to know them. You're wasting your breath and your questions by asking silly things.", Neil said, the same thing Andrew had told him at Bee's when he'd asked about Aaron.

"Don't hide now, Neil. Truth for truth. It's your turn."  
Neil couldn't look away from Andrew. He was sitting on the other side of the bed, Aaron was standing.  
"He's my mother's husband.", he said. He didn't know why he was answering questions he didn't have to. Why he was playing this stupid game.   
"He put a bullet in her head. And stop lying Neil, it isn't a good look.", Andrew said sweetly, as if telling a child not to take more than one candy on Halloween.  
"My answer's not going to change no matter how many times you think I'm lying."

Andrew's lips curved upwards.  
"If you don't stay, I'm killing him."  
Neil knew this wasn't a threat but a promise.

He felt caged, trapped between a burning fire and a frying pan.  
"You have no right to-"  
"It's _really_ simple actually. You step out of this house, and a knife seeps into his gut, or his jugular if he makes it boring. Do not make me repeat myself."

Aaron was quiet. He was looking at his brother as if he didn't recognise him.  
He turned towards Neil.  
"This is not a choice, Neil. I'm not letting you leave."

"Fine.", Neil managed to say. And that was the end of it.

* * *

 

He slept in Aaron's room that night. He dreamed of his mother's ghost being chased by the monster his father was. He dreamed of hiding under the bed because the noises outside his room were too loud. 

He dreamed of hazel eyes and pale skin.

He dreamed of blood on white walls and white sheets.

He dreamed until he wished he couldn't.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been way too fucking long god I've missed writing this fic. Thank you so much for leaving comments and kudos even though I'm a shit I appreciate it more than you know.  
> (@kiwitrash99 if you're reading this 1)are you surprised I fucking updated and 2)happy 23rd July ;))) )


	10. Chapter 10

"Are you saying you carried me from the roof, through a fucking window, into this room?"  
"Yes."  
" _No_."  
Andrew stared at him quietly.  
"Don't ask me questions if you think you already know the answer."  
"You're 5ft tall."  
"I work out."  
Neil could see that. Rehab hadn't stopped Andrew from exercising. The black shirt clung to the arcs and bends of Andrew's biceps. The curves of the muscles and the stretch of tendons clearly visible even unclenched. Neil could see the staunch veins whic-  
"Eyes up here."  
Neil looked at him.

Andrew left the room.

* * *

 

They had just won against the Giants. The loud thump of thousands of fans applauding and stamping their feet as Dan made the winning goal roared through his ears as the adrenaline of it all was starting to fade away.  
Neil sat against the wall of the empty Court, his feet stretched out in front of him.  
His heart was beating fast, alive alive alive, it screamed.  
He had refused to change immediately after the match, refused Nicky's offer to party. He needed to stretch this moment as long as he could. He needed to be in the bubble which Exy always put him in.

His fingers wound through the net on his racket, pulling the mesh of wires taut.

Exy was his. Feet pressing hard against the ground as he pushed himself to run. The bright red of the goal as his ball struck the net. The feel of his teammates moving around him, with him and their wild smiles as they scored. His father couldn't mar it. His mother wasn't alive to.

This was the reason he was still here, his purpose. He had nothing except Exy and today reminded him of all the reasons he loved it so fiercely.

It was _only_ his.

There had been a moment though, during the match. When Andrew seemed to have stilled. Just stopped and shut down, letting the ball fly past him as the Giants scored.  
It had happened only for a second and it probably looked as if Andrew couldn't stop the ball in time but Neil knew that wasn't true. He had been watching Andrew before that because the Giants were close to scoring and he'd seen Andrew's eyes flick towards the crowd. A guy in a red hat and a smile, who silently stood in the first row of seats, watching Andrew back. It had unnerved Neil.

A shadow shuts out the bright lights. Kevin Day, Exy racket in hand.

"Get up," he said.  
And Neil felt a grin stretch across his face as Kevin passed him a ball. 

* * *

 

Water droplets ran down Neil's back and clung to his t-shirt as he exited the shower.  
Kevin was already there, waiting for him in the locker room head bent as he typed something on his phone.  
He looked up when Neil's footsteps rang through the quiet.  
"Let's go," Kevin said simply.  
"Where?" Neil asked.  
Kevin didn't answer, just walked out of the room expecting Neil to follow.

Andrew was waiting in Aaron's black Maserati outside the court.  
"Took you both long enough," he said as they both got in the car, Kevin riding shotgun.  
"I asked you if you wanted to come practice with us," Kevin replied.  
"Now why would I want to do that."

Neil saw Kevin's reaction, a fuse begging to be lit. Before he could reply, Neil asked, "Where are we going?"  
Andrew looked at him in the rearview mirror, his eyes steady. A grip crept up his face, harshening every feature.  
"Ice cream," he replied.

* * *

 

Andrew wasn't kidding. They were currently sitting inside "Sweetie's", a small parlor a few miles away from the Court. The bright yellow walls inside contrasted the dark red booth.  
Andrew swirled his ice cream till it was milk.  
He signalled the waitress, calling for the check.  
"Why are we here?", Neil asked.  
"Playing the fucking banjos, Neil. Why do you think we're here? Ice cream."  
"You don't seem like a person who likes ice cream."  
"What kind of person do I seem like?"  
"Like you'd make fun of a kid eating ice cream."  
Andrew looked offended that Neil had even suggested something like this, putting a hand mockingly over his heart.  
"I would _never_."

* * *

 

They didn't return home, as Neil thought they would. The car stopped outside a two storeyed nightclub called Eden's Twilight.  
Neil didn't like clubs. The flickering lights, the strong smell of alcohol, his father, the plethora of people standing so close together, a culmination of sweat and unmistakable intimacy, all of it made Neil slightly nauseous. Plus, he didn't even like dancing.  
"I'm not going in there.", he said, resolute.  
"Don't be a child, Neil.", Kevin replied.  
"I said I'm not going in there."  
"How do you expect to get back home?"  
"I'll run," and he would. He was feeling restless. His anxiety was acting up, a vine blossoming inside his belly.  
"That's stu-"  
"Run along, Kevin. We'll wait for you. Not everyone likes drinking like there's no tomorrow.", Andrew cut in.  
Surprisingly, Kevin went in but not without an angry glare at them both.

* * *

 

Neil and Andrew got out of the car, parked only a block away from the club. Andrew started walking back towards it, undermining what he'd just told Kevin.

"I told you I'm not go-"  
"Can you do anything without reinstating your words?", he said, taking out a set of keys Neil didn't know he had and unlocking a door at the side of the bar.

A staircase inside. The back of Andrew's neck as he climbed up, Neil obviously right behind him.  
Another door and another key, this one leading to a roof. White tiles, four short walls surrounded them.

Andrew walked towards the edge, it was dangerously easy to fall off. He sat down, his back to the wall and lit a cigarette.  
Neil sat down beside him, the music from the nightclub thumping in his very bones.  
"How do you have the keys to this place?"  
"I know the owner."

Neil felt daring and hopeful, under the white stars and the orange burn of the cigarette.

"Who was that guy, in the red hat? You missed a goal because of him."  
Instantly, as Andrew hardened imperceptibly next to him, Neil knew he'd asked the wrong question.  
"Someone I should've stabbed through the fucking heart," he said, blowing out smoke. They sat in silence after that .

* * *

 

"What are you planning to do, Neil?", Andrew asked abruptly.  
"About what?"  
"Your father."

Neil had thought about this and had reached only one conclusion which wouldn't harm anyone except himself.   
"He's going to come looking for me, if I don't return eventually. You know what he did to my mother. I can't risk not going back."  
"And you think he'll be able to do that to you?"  
"I know he will."  
"I won't let him.", Andrew said so quietly Neil almost didn't hear him.

* * *

 

"Do you have a thing for roofs?" Neil asked him.  
"I don't like heights."  
"That doesn't make sense."  
"You're dumber than you look," Andrew sighed.   
A puff of smoke blown right in Neil's face. He stole the cigarette from Andrew's hand.  
"You know Neil, I don't feel too much. Feeling is a candle in an open field, blown out as quickly as it's lit. Fear though, that's harder to snub."  
Neil puts the cigarette to his lips, inhales.  
"So you come here to..feel?"  
Andrew glanced at him and Neil felt like he was looking at nothing and everything all at once. It was as disorienting as it was exhilarating. He doesn't feel Andrew take the cigarette back.  
"Yes," Andrew says, and looks away.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bet you can't tell I like dialogue more than descriptions.... This is so self indulgent omfg.


End file.
